It’s clear that Fast & Furious is a huge hit, and it’s no surprise it’s already got 10 movies under its belt. As a result, many actors have been cast over time, but others have remained and have even become icons of the whole franchise.
Vin Diesel is one of them. It’s impossible to think of these movies without picturing him. Because he had made a name for himself within the franchise, he was able to reach a higher level by becoming a producer later on. However, his mother wanted him to aim even higher, practically pushing him to do so.
Vin Diesel As Director Of Fast & Furious?
Vin Diesel is to Fast & Furious what Tom Cruise is to Mission Impossible. He basically owns the franchise, especially since his character, Dominic Toretto, is the head of the Toretto family, the main family in the story.
In 2015, after Furious 7 raked in over $1 billion at the box office, Diesel announced that they were already working on the eighth film. However, the production, which would only be released in 2017, was still without a director at the time. This was the perfect opportunity for the actor’s mother to express her desire, given her son’s history with the films.
According to a Facebook post by the actor, Delora Vincent believed that Vin Diesel should be responsible for directing the next film:
I will share something crazy that my mother said six months ago after the studio had me announce the date for 8 to the world… “Either you direct 8 yourself… or don’t do it”. (…) I wrote it off as just a mother’s love and belief in me, though she has seen first hand what I’ve done to make these movies defy expectations and become increasingly successful, even when the studio thought I was crazy.
It was almost an ultimatum, but the actor took it in stride, emphasizing that it was just a comment from a proud mother supporting her son’s work. Even so, the rest of his words seemed to implicitly agree with the opinion, which did not sit well with Universal, the studio responsible for the franchise. Perhaps it came off as a bit arrogant.
The Challenges Of Working With Vin Diesel On Fast & Furious
It is not known whether the actor had any possibility of directing the films at some point, but after the statement, sources said that Universal was not at all pleased. Any possible consideration was already out of the question (via The Hollywood Reporter).
At the time, the search for a director was not easy, since James Wan, who was responsible for the seventh film, decided not to return. According to him, the filming process was the toughest of his career, mainly because of the script rewrites and numerous changes Diesel was demanding after Paul Walker’s death.
Although no criticisms of the actor’s posture have been made public, Wan explained that the changes were intended to ensure the film honored Walker’s legacy. Still, the process became stressful for the director, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, much of the production delay was actually due to Vin Diesel.
For Fast & Furious 8, even though the actor wasn’t considered to direct, he was consulted on who would take on the role. The studio had the final say, though. In the end, he stayed on as a producer, just like in his other franchises such as xXx and Riddick.
Fast & Furious franchise is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
